Large retailers are increasingly converting to the use of electronic labels to indicate pricing and other information relating to products displayed on their shelves. Such electronic labels greatly facilitate pricing and repricing of the goods as compared to, for example, the printing and placement of new paper labels. At the same time, the electronic labels represent a relatively costly initial investment and it is thus important that they be securely mounted on the display shelves.
Some styles of display shelving are either provided with, or are initially formed with, price ticket moldings along the front edges of the shelves. These are designed principally for receiving paper or plastic labels of the conventional type. There are also some styles of display shelving, that have no provision for ticket moldings along the front edge. The present invention is directed particularly to providing a novel and advantageous form of individual mounting clip, for securing an electronic label to the front edge of a display shelf, regardless of whether the shelf is provided with a ticket molding along the front edge.
Display shelving of the type contemplated herein typically is formed of sheet metal, having a flat upper surface, a front edge structure extending downward from the upper surface, and a flange-like structure extending rearward at least a short distance from the lower edge area of the front surface structure. In some cases, the front surface structure of the shelving is configured to form a ticket molding. In other cases, it may be relatively flat. The upper surface of the shelving is formed, at least in the front area and typically throughout, with regularly spaced rows and columns of apertures. Such shelving is typically constructed in sections, referred to as gondolas, which are standardized at 48 inches in length. One prior approach to the mounting of electronic labels on shelving of the type described above involves the mounting of a special extrusion, running along the full length of the shelving and arranged to receive one or more electronic labels at desired positions associated with merchandise display. The extrusions appropriate for this purpose are somewhat costly, and require a 48 inch unit even though possibly only one or two electronic labels will be mounted.
In accordance with the present invention, a metal clip-type mounting bracket, formed of heat treated spring steel, is provided for engagement with individual electronic labels, and for the mounting of such labels individually in fixed position at the front of the display shelving. To this end, the mounting clip includes a central body portion and an upper support member extending rearwardly from the upper edge thereof and having shelf-engaging lugs arranged for snap-in engagement with a spaced pair of the apertures formed in the upper surface of the shelving. A spring clip element extends rearward from the bottom edge of the central body portion and can be displaced to allow the clip to snap over the lower edge structure of the shelving, locking the mounting bracket firmly and reliably to the front edge of the shelving, at a desired specific location. The mounting bracket can be easily removed for intentional relocation, but is very securely mounted against accidental dislodgement.
The new mounting clip of the invention is configured so that, by squeezing together on the upper support member, and the lower spring clip element, the bracket is easily attached to an electronic label. Thereafter, when the bracket is attached to a shelf, the spreading-apart action of the shelf on the same two elements serves to securely lock the electronic label onto the bracket.
The device of the invention can be economically manufactured from a unitary sheet metal stamping and is easily shaped to provide the several working components described above.